The STUDIO X+U K-drama “Friendly Rivalry”, which is set for premiere on February 10th, has teased a bold same-sex kiss scene. The series depicts various incidents and accidents taking place at Chaehwa Girls’ High School, an elite institution for the top 1% in South Korea. By combining the familiar school setting with thriller and mystery genres, it promises heightened tension and immersion.
“Friendly Rivalry” Original Webtoon
The drama “Friendly Rivalry” is based on a 76-episode Naver webtoon of the same name. The webtoon captures the madness and fierce competition fueled by obsession between Yoo Je-i (played by Hyeri) and the naive transfer student Woo Seul-gi (played by Jung Soo-bin). In the story, Yoo Je-i is the only friend who helped Seu-lgi, who had been ostracized after transferring from a rural school. Later, the two become indispensable to each other, but gradually a twisted love begins to emerge that blurs the line between obsession and friendship.
Set against the backdrop of a prestigious school attended exclusively by top students, the webtoon portrays the intense competition in South Korea’s college entrance exams while realistically depicting the protagonists’ distorted friendship and emotional journey, which has garnered great popularity among readers.
Upon hearing that the webtoon is being adapted into a drama, readers responded with comments such as “I can’t believe my favorite webtoon is being turned into a drama, amazing!”, “What is this teaser, it’s crazy, it looks so fun!”, “My all-time favorite webtoon… wow, it’s finally getting a drama adaptation”, “I’ve been wanting to see Hyeri deliver a unique performance; it’s fresh and not off-putting, so I’m excited”, among other comments
Who Are Yoo Je-i and Seulgi?
Yoo Je-i is a genius high school student who holds one of the top 0.1% positions even among the elite at Chaehwa Girls’ High School. With her perfect looks, outstanding grades, and prestigious background, she is the power player at Chaehwa, and no one dares to mess with her.
Meanwhile, Seul-gi is a naive country girl from a local orphanage who transferred to Chaehwa Girls’ High School. Initially perceived as merely innocent, Seul-gi becomes fixated on academics and grades in order to survive the fierce environment at Chaehwa, and she begins to value Yoo Je-i, who once helped her when she was ostracized, as a precious friend while experiencing growth and conflict.
Along with Hyeri and Jung Soo-bin, the drama also features Kang Hye-won, Oh Woo-ri, Choi Young-jae, and Kim Tae-hoon, among others.
Lee Hyeri Jung Soo-bin Tease a Bold Same-Sex Kiss Scene
“Friendly Rivalry” has especially attracted attention with the teaser of a bold bathtub kiss scene between lead actresses Lee Hye-ri and Yoo Je-iung Soo-bin.
At a press screening for “Friendly Rivalry” held at Yongsan CGV in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 6th, Hyeri commented on the same-sex kiss scene, saying she wasn’t overly worried.
According to Hyeri, the emotional tone of the scene was completely understandable and convincing, and this scene clearly revealed the character and would enhance the storytelling in later episodes.
Meanwhile, director Kim stated, “We worked on this from the beginning with youth viewing restrictions in mind,” adding, “While it captures the emotions of teenagers, it was not meant solely for a teenage audience.”
The K-drama “Friendly Rivalry” will air starting on February 10th, with episodes available every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at midnight on U+tv and U+ MobileTV.
